Uproar Over Salim Mvurya’s Move to the Sports Ministry
Randiki said Mvurya has been removed from a crucial docket which is important to the people of the coast region.
A section of residents in the coast region are up in arms against the transfer of Salim Mvurya from the Investments, Trade and Industry docket to that of Sports, Youth Affairs and Creative Economy in a recent mini reshuffle.
Led by Orange Democratic Movement [ODM] grassroots advisor to Raila Odinga Mr Oginga Randiki they said they are disappointed by the recent cabinet reshuffle made by President Willian Ruto. Randiki said they are here first as residents of the Coast region, ODM supporters and leaders who are quite informed on their social, political and economic rights."Our own comparative economic and political analysis indicates that the reshuffle has impacted negatively on the Coast region," he pointed out.
Randiki said Mvurya has been removed from a crucial docket which is important to the people of the coast region.
He was speaking during a media briefing held at the Palm Tree hotel in Mombasa county.
The ODM grassroots advisor told the media that the Mombasa, Lamu, and Shimoni ports which are for imports and exports have been transferred to a new hand in Nakuru which is largely an agricultural area.
Randiki argued the region has been left wondering what exactly are the unique skills, knowledge and passion that Mvurya possesses in sports particularly athletic games more than Mr Kipchumba Murkomen whose environment in the North Rift places him at the centre of sports.
He pointed out that the docket of Investment, Trade and Industries that Mvurya had held had been quite beneficial to the collective progress of the coast region.
"Mvurya is one leader who does not practice tribalism and treats all residents in the region fairly and we are therefore disappointed that he has been moved to sports," he said.
The ODM leader said the docket that Mvurya held before being moved focused on marine and ship building and mining and fishing industries which are a critical lifeline to the region’s community.
Randiki said hardly six months ago Mvurya was at Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy ministry but now they genuinely fear that his plans may not materialize as he has been moved to sports.
He said their fear is based on the bad experience in Kenya where ministers abuse their power and authorize the building of factories far away from where the resources are located.
On his part, ODM member Raphael Odyeni demanded the return of Mvurya to his previous docket before the Committee on Appointments, alongside the Departmental Committees on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations and Labour, conducted the vetting process for the nominees.
He lashed out at the appointment authority for tossing around Mvurya since the formation of the Kenya Kwanza government which is also a broad based government.
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